I was just listening to the sound of fireworks on the night of December 31. Then now, here I am reviewing how the first six months of my 2011 passed by. In an “adult’s world”, time flies so fast indeed.
In 2010, I was so absorbed in earning and saving in money to the point I almost forgot my friends and probably even myself. At the end of the year, I was miserable and I felt that I was not able to achieve anything at all.
2011 is about rediscovering what I forgot and almost forgot and discovering what I can still do. I am lucky enough that blessings are pouring non-stop. What I must ensure now is that I am worth every blessing I receive.
Rediscovery
Love for travelling. A certain change in my life early this year allowed me to do things which I really enjoy including travelling and several other things. I was able to go to Pampanga, Zambales, Batangas, and Bicol on several occasions. This may sound too “near” for some but for me, it’s a significant leap. I am slowly starting to realize my goals and hopefully, I can travel to farther places during the second half of the year.
Priceless.
Love for photography. The first thing I listed in my wish list for 2011 is a camera. I made sure that I had one before my birthday. I fell in love with the camera at an early age. I am not a die hard photography enthusiast but I love capturing memories in pictures. A photograph is one of the very few tangible proofs that you were present at a certain moment, at a certain time.
Rediscovering friends.
Friendship. Last year, I barely attended any HS gathering. I rarely contacted people outside of my closest circle of friends. What happened? I turned out miserable. I asked myself why. Is it because I have few friends? They are not thinking of me? But then I thought… I was not reaching out either. I forgot that it takes two people to make a relationship work out.
This year I made sure that I will reach out and I’m glad my efforts are paying off. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the form of travelling, dinner or even chatting. I have never felt happier. It costs me money sometimes but hey! Moments with friends are priceless.
Rediscovering friends.
Discovery
Opportunities and responsibilities. I encountered a significant turn in my career in January. It was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because I gained more financial freedom. And as I have said previously, it allowed me to enjoy things which I haven’t enjoyed before. The turn is also a blessing because my opportunities have expanded and are expanding but as they say “with more power comes greater responsibilities”. True. There are days when I feel am I just working for the sake working. Thankfully, I still have the ability to knock some sense into myself and realize how blessed I am to be of service to other people. Work should never be about how much we can earn but who will benefit from the work we do, right?
Friendship. Rediscovery is about getting in touch with people whom I almost forgot or lost contact. Discovery is about getting to know people who I don’t know or barely spare a glance. There are 6 billion people on earth. There should be no reason for us to feel alone and lonely. It all starts with a simple smile and hi. I thank God I made and still making the effort.
Discovering friends.
Acceptance of impermanence. Before I had a hard time accepting that certain things in life are not permanent. Somehow, events turned out in a way that I had to face constant changes. I was forced to accept it. In the process of doing so, I slowly learned how to appreciate change. Change is an integral part of our improvement.
The same ideology applies to the people who come in our life. Someone advised me before that I should never get too attached to people since they all come and go. He was correct about the come and go aspect. However, I think there is nothing wrong with trying to build a connection with people and maintaining it.
Accepting changes.
As a parting message, here is the ultimate thing I learned for the first half 2011: Life is beautiful so we should live its every moment to the fullest. 🙂
How is your 2011 so far?
A Thoughtful Paper 